Anaheim counts its homeless to help them

Jan. 31, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Members of the Anaheim Poverty Task Force and other volunteers look at a city map of Anaheim, where groups split up to search particular neighborhoods and sections of the city where homeless gather for shelter. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Anaheim volunteer Isaac Schneider looks over a fence during a count of the homeless in Anaheim Saturday afternoon. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Craig Varner, a student at California State University, Fullerton, looks at a map on volunteer Isaac Schneider's smartphone during a drive through the city of Anaheim in Saturday afternoon's city count of the homeless. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Members of the Anaheim Poverty Task Force and other volunteers look at a city map of Anaheim, where groups split up to search particular neighborhoods and sections of the city where homeless gather for shelter. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – The homeless spread out on benches and tables at La Palma Park, sitting by their filled shopping carts and watching the three volunteers walk by with clipboards.

The volunteers tried to be inconspicuous as they counted the homeless – giving quick glances and following them with peripheral vision. When the volunteers returned to the parking lot, one made a call:

Varner was among 90 or so volunteers who explored Anaheim during the first citywide homeless count. A final count had yet to be tallied, but at least several hundred homeless people were found Saturday, said Robb Tarr, co-chairman of the Anaheim Poverty Task Force.

One of the volunteers was Kathy Lore of Irvine.

"We went to a series of orientation meetings and did an overview of what to do and places to keep an eye out for, places where you would go if you didn't have a home and wanted to be safe," she said. "I'm not even from Anaheim. I'm just someone who cares about the homeless issue."

Within a month, the task force plans to release final numbers and make recommendations about how to better serve the homeless.

A countywide homeless count was recently conducted by another group, but Tarr didn't expect that data to be broken down by city.

In Anaheim, the volunteers met at three community centers before fanning out. At the Martin Recreation Center, Mayor Tom Tait and Councilman Jordan Brandman showed up.

"The first step of any solution involves defining the problem, and this is just that," Tait said. "Having an accurate assessment of the homeless in Anaheim is the first step to finding a solution."

In groups of three, teams with maps searched alleys, parks, industrial centers and residential streets for those who appeared to be homeless.

As Varner went around the city, he spotted abandoned RVs and vehicles filled with possessions, noting their locations on a map.

It wasn't always pretty.

"I'm learning more about this city than I want to know," said Isaac Schneider, a volunteer from Anaheim.

Still, the volunteers showed up.

"I just feel that I've been privileged most of my life, and I feel that I should be out there helping people," said Varner, a freshman at Cal State Fullerton, who volunteered through his church.

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